Railway cross-tie.



E. C. BACHFIELD. RAILWAY CROSS TIE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 16. I9I7- Patehted Feb.12,1918.

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E. C. BACHFIELD.

RAILWAY CROSS TIE. APPLICATION FILED APR. :6. m1.

Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

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RA-IL A GBQ E- Application filed April 16, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD C. BACHFIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Cross- Ties, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in railway cross ties.

The object of the invention is to provide a cross tie or cross tie blocks comprising a seat for the rails and a locking clamp to secure the rails in the seats. In this connection it is a further object to make the ties or tie blocks of a solid character, as of cast iron or any alloy which will render them solid so that they will not yield, as in the case of wood.

A further object of the invention is to provide for the ready expansion of the rails under heat and contraction under cold by securing or fastening each rail to the tie or tie block only at a'point intermediate its ends, approximately midway its length, the remainder of the ties or tie blocks being clamped only to the rails. In this way each rail may expand and contract without affecting any other rail. This feature of my invention is thus distinguished from the common construction of interconnecting all the rails by fish plates and bolts with the present objectionable fact that when all the rails expand they force the track outward at the curves and when they all contract force the track inward at the curves, these distortions or movements acting to shift the cross ties longitudinally at the points thus affected by the expansion and contraction. All this I avoid by my new arrangement.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of two of my improved ties with a portion of one rail at either side; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of one of my improved ties and of two rails held therein; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one end of a tie; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the locking clamp detached therefrom; Fig. 5 is a plan view of that portion of my invention that relates to securing the rails at or near the middle to the ties; and Fig. 6 is a partial section and partial side elevation of one of the ties showing the manner of fastening the tie rod to the end portions.

Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral 1 desig- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

Serial No. 162,243.

nates the ends of the cross ties which are in the nature of blocks of cast metal or alloy adapted to constitute solid unyielding blocks or ties. Each two of the portions or blocks 1 are connected together by a tie rod 2, prefcrably in the form of a pipe about which the blocks are cast. To further insure the firm connection of the blocks to the tie rod or pipe the latter has burs or enlargements 3 about which'the material of the blocks binds. But some other mode of securely connecting the blocks and tie rods may be employed.

The tie blocks are constructed with a rail seat 4: overhung at one side by a flange 5 and at the other side by an inclined wall 6. The rail base is fitted into the seat 4 with one side of the base looked under the flange 5 and the other side of the base clamped 01' secured by a locking clamp 7. This clamp has a web 8 which fits between the rail base and the inclined wall 6. The wall 6 is slightly inclined longitudinally fromthe rail base so as to leave a tapering space between the rail base and the wall 6 for the reception of the Web 8 which for this reason acts like a wedge, so that the farther the clamp is advanced the tighter it will bind that side of the rail base. To forcibly advance the clamp a headed screw 9 extends through a lug 10 and screws into an orifice 11 in the block. In this way by turning the screw 9 the clamp is forced against the undercut wall and the rail and the latter is securely locked under the flange 5. Then to secure the clamp in its final position a lock bolt 12 is inserted through the opening 13 and screwed into the orifice 14.

Thus, the rail is firmly secured to the tie or tie block as respects all directions. save only that the rail may readily expand and contract.

Bv this construction and by means of the solid character of the ties or tie blocks the rails are held and are also supported with the minimum vibration.

With these ties or tie blocks mounted upon a solid base or bed practically all vibration of the rails is eliminated. In my application filed of even date herewith relating to improvements in railway-beds I have set forth such a bed as will afford a non-yielding or vibrating base for cross ties of this charactor.

I will now refer to the other feature of my invention, namely, that relating to the provision for allowing the rails to expand and contract without shifting the radial position of the rails at curves in the road. The ties or tie blocks are provided with holes 15 to receive bolts or pins 16 which pass through holes in the rail base, all as indicated particularly in Figs. 2, 3 and 5. From the latter figure it will be observed that this attachment of the rails to the ties or tie blocks is at or near the middle of each rail, while the adjacent ends of the succeeding rails are unfastened to the ties or tie blocks except through the clamp before referred to. This is shown also in Fig. 5. A slight clearance, according to the size of the rail and the known climatic conditions, is left between the ends of each two rails for expansion and contraction.

Under this organization I am enabled to completely avoid the radial shifting of the rail bed or ties at curves in the road by reason of expansion and contraction of the rails.

I would further observe that as to the function or office of the clamp 7, it operates to sustain the rail, largely in and of itself acting in combination with the tie or block, irrespective of the action of the overhanging flange 5. In other words, in addition to the relation of the clamp 7 to the overhanging flange 5, the clamp 7 operates also, in a sense independently, in aiding and sustaining the rail in its true position.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention it will be understood that the same has been chosen for the purposes of illustration only, and that I do not desire to be limited to the details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

having a rail seat bordered by an overhang- A ing flange, and an inclined wall, a clamp having a depending web fitting between the rail seat and-said inclined wall, a portion of said clamp being positioned over the tie block and a bolt passing through the portion of the clamp over said tie "block and into the block. i

e 2. In a rail fastening device, a tie block having a rail seat bordered by an overhang- 1ng flange and an inclined wall, said wall 7 being also longitudinally inclined, a longitudinally inclined clamp having a depending Web fitting between-the rail and the inclined wall, abolt passing through said clamp and into said tieblock, alugdepending from said clamp, andga' bolt passing through said lug and'into said tie. block.

3. In a railfastening device, a tie'block having a rail seat bordered by an inclined Wall, a clamp having a longitudinally inclined edge abutting the inclined wall,'and a bolt passing through a portion of said clamp and into said tie block,

4. In a rail fastening device, a tie block having a rail seat bordered by an inclined wall, a clamp having a longitudinallyin clined edge abutting said inclined Wall, a

bolt passing through the'clamp and into the portion of the tie block having the inclined wall, and asecond bolt passing through a portion of theclamp and into the tie block and serving to force the clamp to clamping position. I

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. 3

EDWVARD C. BACHFIELD. f

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of ii'atentl,

'Washington, D. C. r r r 

